Chlidichthys bibulus (Smith)

Gill, Anthony C. & Zajonz, Uwe, 2011, Pseudochromine and pseudoplesiopine dottyback fishes from the Socotra Archipelago, Indian Ocean, with descriptions of two new species of Pseudochromis Rüppell (Perciformes: Pseudochromidae), Zootaxa 3106, pp. 1-23 : 5-6

Chlidichthys bibulus (Smith)

Threestripe Dottyback Figure 2

Wamizichthys bibulus Smith, 1954: 205 , fig. 3 (type locality, Wamizi Island, Mozambique).

Chlidichthys bibulus ; Gill & Edwards, 2004: 9, fig. 3, pl. 1D (description, synonymy, distribution, colour photo).

A single specimen of this species was captured from around a large boulder in a macroalgae dominated biotope, mixed with large sponges and sparse encrusting hard corals on rock platform in 8–11 m at Socotra Island; C. bibulus is otherwise known only from east Africa ( Mozambique to Kenya) and Aldabra Island. In addition to the single voucher specimen, the species was recorded once visually on the south coast of Socotra in a highly dynamic habitat with a mixed macroalgae and hard coral community (biotope S6.1.3), 5–6 m, 12 March 1999 (ST-021). The species appears to be very rare and is yet unknown from the other islands of the archipelago.

The voucher specimen was included by Gill and Edwards (2004) in their account of the species. It agrees well with specimens from east Africa (n = 11) and Aldabra (n = 1) in most details, except for slight differences in some morphometric characters: body depth at dorsal-fin origin 24.5 % SL (versus 20.9–24.3 % SL; n = 8); predorsal length 32.6 % SL (versus 26.6–32.3 % SL; n = 8); and pelvic-fin length 22.2 % SL (versus 20.2–21.6 % SL; n = 4). We do not attach any taxonomic significance to these differences owing to the small sample sizes.

Material examined. SMF 29235, 1: 34.7 mm SL, Socotra Archipelago, SW coast of Socotra Island, Ras Qatanin Bay, 12o21'17"N 53o32'39"E, large boulder (biotope S5.1.5), 8–11 m, U. Zajonz & F. N. Saeed, 9 April 2000 (ST-726).

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Figures

FIGURE 2. Chlidichthys bibulus, SMF 29235, 34.7 mm SL, Ras Qatanin Bay, SW coast of Socotra Island, Socotra Archipelago. (Photo by P. Hurst)